Protective Article

Abstract

A protective article is provided having a body with a finger portion and a forearm portion. The body extends from the first finger knuckles past a wearers wrist joint. The protective article has a padding extending over at least a portion of the body, with a knuckle pad region and a forearm pad region that extends from beyond the first finger knuckles past a wearer's wrist joint. The protective article can have a flexible joint at the juncture between the knuckle and the forearm pad regions and a rigid forearm guard covering a portion of the forearm pad region, extending from the flexible joint past a wearer's wrist joint. A wrist wrap can be provided that has at least one fastener attached to the body, operable to secure the forearm guard adjacent to a dorsal side of a wearer's wrist to substantially secure a wearer's wrist joint.

1 . A protective article comprising:
 a body having a finger portion and a forearm portion, wherein said forearm portion extends from a wearers first finger knuckles to a location past a wearers wrist joint;   a forearm guard being substantially rigid and extending from at least said forearm portion to a location past the wearers wrist joint; and   a wrist wrap having at least one fastener and operable to secure said forearm guard adjacent to a dorsal side of the wearers wrist joint to support the wearer's wrist joint.   
   
   
       2 . The protective article of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a padding extending over at least a portion of a dorsal side of said body, the padding having a knuckle pad region and a forearm pad region, wherein said forearm pad region extends from beyond the wearers first finger knuckles to a location past the wearers wrist joint; and   a flexible joint at the juncture between said knuckle pad region and said forearm pad region, wherein said forearm guard covers at least a portion of said forearm pad region.   
   
   
       3 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein said forearm guard extends from at least said flexible joint to said location past a wearers wrist joint. 
   
   
       4 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein said wrist wrap is attached to said body at a first end and having said at least one fastener at a second end. 
   
   
       5 . The protective article of  claim 4 , wherein said first end of said wrist wrap is removably attached to said body. 
   
   
       6 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein said wrist wrap further comprises an elastic material. 
   
   
       7 . The protective article of  claim 2 , wherein said knuckle pad region and said forearm pad region are separate pieces of padding. 
   
   
       8 . The protective article of  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of said knuckle pad region is greater than a thickness of said forearm pad region. 
   
   
       9 . The protective article of  claim 2 , wherein said forearm guard and said forearm pad region are shaped to generally conform to a dorsal contour of a wearers hand, wrist and forearm. 
   
   
       10 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein said body further comprises a fingerless glove, said finger portion extending only a part way along a wearers fingers. 
   
   
       11 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein a palmar side of said body comprises a closed finger portion, an open palm portion and a closed wrist portion. 
   
   
       12 . The protective article of  claim 11 , wherein said wrist portion comprises an elastic band attached at each lateral edge of said body. 
   
   
       13 . The protective article of  claim 1 , wherein said forearm guard comprises a plurality of adjacent forearm guard strips, each one of said strips extending from said flexible joint to a location past the wearer's wrist joint. 
   
   
       14 . A protective article comprising:
 a body having a finger portion and a forearm portion, wherein said forearm portion extends from a wearers first finger knuckles to a location past a wearer's wrist joint;   a padding extending over at least a portion of a dorsal side of said body, the padding having a knuckle pad region and a forearm pad region, wherein said forearm pad region extends from beyond the wearers first finger knuckles to a location past the wearer's wrist joint;   a casing surrounding at least a portion of said padding;   a flexible joint at the juncture between said knuckle pad region and said forearm pad region;   a forearm guard being substantially rigid and extending from at least said flexible joint to a location past a wearer's wrist joint, wherein said forearm guard covers at least a portion of said forearm pad region; and   a wrist wrap having at least one fastener and operable to secure said forearm guard adjacent to a dorsal side of the wearer's wrist joint to support the wearers wrist joint.   
   
   
       15 . The protective article of  claim 14 , wherein said knuckle pad region and said forearm pad region are separate pieces of padding. 
   
   
       16 . The protective article of  claim 14 , wherein a thickness of said knuckle pad region is greater than a thickness of said forearm pad region. 
   
   
       17 . The protective article of  claim 14 , wherein said forearm guard and said forearm pad region are shaped to generally conform to a dorsal contour of a wearer's hand, wrist or forearm. 
   
   
       18 . A method of supporting a wearer's wrist joint comprising:
 positioning a substantially rigid forearm guard on a dorsal side of a wearers hand from at least in proximity to a wearers knuckles to a location past a wearers wrist joint;   holding said substantially rigid forearm guard in position via a glove body; and   securing said substantially rigid forearm guard against said dorsal side of the wearers hand via a wrist wrap to support the wearers wrist joint.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 positioning padding on the dorsal side of a wearers hand; and   holding said padding in position via a casing surrounding said padding and operably connected to said glove body, wherein said glove body has a finger portion and a forearm portion, and wherein said forearm portion extends from a wearers first finger knuckles to a location past the wearers wrist joint.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said substantially rigid forearm guard or said padding is removable from said glove body.